Saturday, March 31, 2012

Cat lovers and spinsters rejoice! It's the highly
anticipated follow-up book to Knit Your Own Dog. With easy-to-follow
instructions for 16 distinct felines, Knit Your Own Cat is the
irresistible guide to knitting the pet you've always wanted. Knit Your Own Cat is packed with knitting patterns for 16
different fanciful felines, from a pretty Persian to a sleek Siamese,
from a cuddly kitten to a traditional tabby. The cats are
surprisingly easy to make: With a few evenings of work, you can have
a covetable companion for life. Each cat includes clear, step-by-step
instructions for both knitting and assembling the parts. The cats can
be knit into various positions such as standing, sitting, crouching,
and curled up for a nap. You can add details like collars, bells, and
bows. Photographs throughout show the finished cat from various
angles, and each cat is accompanied by a description of its real-life
temperament and physical characteristics.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Be captivated
with the knitting traditions from around the world and across
time. PieceWork is proud to present its
latest special issue, Knitting Traditions Spring
2012. From Islamic bags to Norwegian symbolism, and Civil War Socks
to 1920s vintage knits, Knitting Traditions Spring 2012
offers a vast expanse of cultural traditions as well as historical
traditions.

Explore timeless knitting in three
major themes:

Useful Articles—Civil War socks, a
seventeenth-century undershirt, and a knitted petticoat are just some
of the projects found in this section. Discover the importance that
knitting has played throughout the centuries and continues to play
today.

Adornments—Russian wedding gloves,
Norwegian symbolism mittens, and an Orenburg scarf are a couple of
the detailed patterns in this section. From colorwork, texture, and
lace, this section explores traditions through beautiful knitted
items.

Vintage Knits—Baby booties, a child’s
frock, lace patterns, and a bunny toy are a few of the projects that
come straight from the pages of vintage knitting publications and
into this section. See what was being knitted in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries and create them yourself!

Inside Knitting Traditions Spring 2012
you’ll find:

Over 35
patterns from all over the world, designed by master
knitters, such as Vicki Square, Donna Druchunas, Sara Lamb, Galina
A. Khmeleva, Nancy Bush, and many more.

Inspiring and informative
companion stories that frame the projects with cultural and
historical context, taking you to the heart of knitting.

Focuses on techniques ranging
from Orenburg lace, optical illusion colorwork, vintage lace,
textured stitches, traditional colorwork motifs, and many others
that will help beginners learn and inspire even the most seasoned
knitters.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Just like it's big sister Berroco Weekend Chunky, Berroco Weekend is a great yarn for summer projects. It's a worsted weight, so very easy to sub for a multitude of projects. It is soft, easy to work with, machine washable, and ever so affordable. Made in Peru, it is a blend of Cotton and Acrylic (but not the icky stuff, just the happy variety), which makes it a lot lighter and bouncier than regular cottons.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Berroco Weekend Chunky $6.97New to Knit-O-Matic, Berroco Weekend Chunky is a great summer bulky weight yarn. It is soft, easy to work with, machine washable, and ever so affordable. Made in Peru, it is a blend of Cotton and Acrylic (but not the icky stuff, just the happy variety), which makes it a lot lighter and bouncier than regular cottons.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Methods and techniques of hand knitting. The Bible is back in print! This may be the most thorough reference book on knitting published (712 pages). It has been completely revised and updated (apparently the publisher lost the original documents and June had to hand type the whole thing out from scratch). Read a review HERE. The illustrations are in two colours, but the pictures are in black and white - I imagine that with a tome this size the cost of colour photos would jack the retail price way up. My only criticism is that physically the book resembles a first year anthropology textbook, but it's ok is it's low on sizzle because it's most definitely100% steak.

23 contemporary designs using classic cable patterns, by Martin Storey (Rowan yarns). These projects are so beautiful, it's a real shame the publisher hasn't bothered top upload the pictures to Ravelry. Martin Storey has been designing for Rowan Yarn for decades, and his style is generally classic, elegant and wearable. Projects include hats, gloves, socks, vests, shrugs, scarves, a bag, and of course several sweaters. The patterns are generally for women, but there are a few for men included too. Beautiful.

22 vintage designs from Jennie Atkinson (Romantic Style, Rowan Magazine. Sooo pretty! If you like lace, you are going to be very pleased. Projects are varied, and range from small to larger projects: gloves, stockings, sachets, shrug, camisole, bag, coin purse, scarf, dress, shirts, and sweaters.

30 project for science fiction, comic books, fantasy. You don't have to be a nerd to enjoy these patterns. I LOVE the princess Leia getup (note, with THREE hair style options)! Some of my favourites include Hobbit Feet, Horrible Gloves (who doesn't love Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog?! Check it out on Netflix or iTunes), Star Trek Mini-Dress (it's actually a great, simple dress or tunic), Robot (I think it was supposed to be a Cyberman from Dr. Who, but it's much cuter), and Raj's Sweater Vest from The Big Bang Theory.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Some cool new stuff has been arriving for weaving, spinning, and needle felting!

Martha Stewart Knit & Weave Loom Kit $54.97

Compact enough to take anywhere, the
Knit & Weave Loom Kit makes knitting and weaving easy for both
beginners and pros. Use the included instructions to create scarves,
hats, blankets, and crafts, or explore other possibilities on your
own.Includes instructions for a hat,
scarf, and blanket. There are also a multitude of Loom Knit and Woven on the Lionbrand website. Watch an Instructional Video on Youtube.

This charming lacquered wood spool
knitter (also called a French knitter) is a delightful and
entertaining craft tool for children. Using a spool knitter
(essentially a very small round knitting loom), you can produce a
variety of items. Includes spool, instructions, and needle. *Color of knitting spool may vary*

if making lace, the 'stickiness' of wood needles may be preferable (try Knit Picks Harmony wood interchangeable needles). if working in stocking or garter stitch (plain knitting) metal needles may be easier to work with (try Addi Turbo Lace or Knit Picks nickel plated interchangeable needles).

kid mohair knits very easily when holding 2 strands together.

if you need to rip back your work or your yarn catches in a knot, place your work in the freezer for about 30 minutes before ripping.

to keep a ball of mohair from unraveling while you work with it, keeping it in the leg of an old pair of pantyhose (or funky new ones from the dollar store)